


Vesperia Party

by Vector



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: F/F, F/M, Kink Negotiation, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Safe Sane and Consensual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-09
Updated: 2010-09-09
Packaged: 2017-10-11 15:19:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/113824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vector/pseuds/Vector
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Vesperia party doesn't always need to be together to have deep and meaningful relationships. And who better to try things out with than the people who you trust to the end of the world? Written for the kink big bang on Dreamwidth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Flynn and Yuri

Repede curled outside Flynn's room is the first obvious hint, but Yuri's voice rings out before Flynn even steps inside. "You're late, Commandant. Also, your security is terrible."

"Please don't tell me you knocked out the knights stationed outside while coming in here," Flynn sighs, closing the door behind him.

"Nah, I didn't have to." Yuri grins a bit and sits up on the bed. "For some reason they were all too willing to let a notorious criminal into the castle."

"You're not a criminal, Yuri," Flynn says automatically.

"Sure about that? Just this morning I smuggled some unapproved goods into the capital. Several dozen completely untaxed apples. The economy'll crash any moment, I'm sure."

"_Really_, Yuri?" Flynn can't quite manage to be surprised. "Not that I approve, but it seems a little petty for your usual standard."

"Well, I'm having to stretch a bit," Yuri leans back and examines the wall, avoiding Flynn's gaze. "Seems there's some guy making sure there's less stupid laws around to break these days."

Flynn warms. "Thanks. That's one of the best compliments I could get."

Yuri huffs, still not meeting his eyes. "Don't thank me. It's making it trickier to keep up my notoriety. I'm not sure how I'll manage."

"Right." Flynn shakes his head. "It's not like you have to break every law you come across, you know."

"Maybe I do. I never did take orders well." Yuri pulls his legs up, his boots wrinkling Flynn's bedsheets.

"I had noticed that," Flynn says dryly, giving Yuri a look. "That's not quite the same thing as flagrantly disobeying them, though."

"But flagrantly disobeying them is more _fun_." Yuri grins.

"Fun, is it?" Flynn says with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah."

Flynn hums contemplatively, and Yuri must guess what's coming even before he opens his mouth. "In that case, wait right there," Flynn says experimentally, and Yuri stands immediately. Flynn's lips quirk as Yuri crosses the room and reaches for the buckles on Flynn's armor. "Fine." A pauldron comes loose in Yuri's hands. "Then at least be sure to hang it up properly."

Yuri drops it onto the carpet with a thunk. "Oops." Flynn winces instinctively. Yuri reaches for him again, and Flynn helps him undo the rest of his armor, but Yuri takes all the pieces out of his hands and drops them on the floor.

Flynn rolls his eyes. "It doesn't actually take any more effort to put them on the stand than to put them on the floor, you know."

"I know," Yuri grins. "It's fun for the look on your face, though."

"Just for the sake of doing the opposite, huh?" Flynn smiles and takes his tunic off himself. "Go back to the bed."

Yuri curls his fingers under the band of Flynn's pants at the sides, then slides them both towards the center and down to palm his cock.

"Stop," Flynn says. And Yuri does stop. Flynn grunts in frustration.

"...Sorry," Yuri says with a slight twitch of his mouth. "Guess I'm still a little short on criminal instincts."

Flynn puts a hand on Yuri's shoulder. "I guess I can't be too upset about that."

Yuri laughs, but he looks serious. "If we're gonna do it like this, though, there should be something clear you can say if you actually mean stop."

Flynn can't help a smile. "I trust you, Yuri. I don't think that will be—"

"Flynn," Yuri interjects.

Flynn pauses. "If you think it's a good idea, then fine. If I really want to stop, I'll call you 'Mister Lowell,' how about that?"

Yuri smirks. "That works."

"Good," Flynn says. "Now, Yuri, stop what you were doing right there."

Yuri cups his cock again firmly. Flynn groans softly, then tugs at the edge of Yuri's shirt.

"You should keep this on."

"Oh, I should, huh?" Yuri breaks away to strip out of not only his shirt, but everything, dropping his pants on the floor and standing pointedly naked in the middle of the room, hands on his hips guiding Flynn's eye to his half-hard cock deliberately. "How about this?"

Flynn grins stupidly at him. "You have no sense of propriety."

"Yeah, sorry, I must have forgotten that one somewhere. You'll have to live without it."

"I guess I'll manage somehow." Flynn rolls his eyes and strips the rest of the way himself. "How about you just stay right there?" he says as he walks towards the bed.

Yuri follows, of course, coming up behind him to wrap hands around his chest and hug close, his cock sliding against Flynn's ass. Flynn twists to face him and kisses him, tongue pressing into his mouth for a long minute until he pulls him onto the bed.

Flynn sits up and spreads his legs under Yuri's intense stare. "Now," he says. "Come on, take me."

"Oh, I don't think so," Yuri says with a grin, and turns deliberately away, shifting onto his hands and knees, "If you want something from me, you're going to have to take it yourself."

"Rebellious right up until the end, huh," Flynn smirks.

"Oh, I wouldn't say we're close to the end yet. You're not _that_ good." Yuri says over his shoulder.

Flynn laughs as he rolls back up and fetches a gel base to slick his cock. "I'll keep working at it."

"Always the perfectionist, huh. Well, I'm not exactly going to complain if you somehow manage to get good enough to make me come at a tou—ah," he breaks off as Flynn's fingers brush between his ass.

"Ready, or did you want to keep talking?" Flynn smiles.

"Maybe you should tell me," Yuri says.

Flynn pauses a moment, then moves closer and holds his cock in place at Yuri's ass. "Go on, then," he says. "Keep talking."

On cue, Yuri rocks backward. Flynn moves with him, and the head of his cock penetrates Yuri and slides into place easily. Flynn gasps, and Yuri moans low as Flynn holds position.

After listening to Yuri's quiet breaths for a few moments, Flynn finally shifts back, and Yuri's back arches when he thrusts forward again. "No complaints?"

"You could go a little faster," Yuri says, sounding breathless already.

"I could," Flynn says. "But I don't need to listen to advice from miscreants."

Yuri laughs, and Flynn can feel it. "I guess that's fair."

"I do try to always be fair." Flynn moves again, slowly, and reaches around for Yuri's cock, which is hard in his hand and damp when he thumbs the head. Yuri groans and doesn't come up with a retort, which is fine with Flynn since he's running out of the focus for it himself.

Instead he keeps thrusting steadily, pulling at Yuri's cock in time, until they're both panting and he can't help but move faster. Yuri moves with him, even when his cock twitches and spills over Flynn's hand, and before too long Flynn sinks deep one last time and releases himself .

Flynn presses a kiss to where Yuri's hair has fallen away from the back of his neck, licking the salt of sweat off his lips as he pulls out. Yuri rolls over and knocks him down, holds him laying in the bed beside him.

"We're a mess," Flynn says, a statement rather than a complaint.

"Whatever." Yuri yawns. "I have to head back out in the morning, so let's get some rest while we can."

"Alright." Flynn smiles. "I wish I could take the time for this more often, but—"

"Yeah, I know, you're a workaholic." Yuri turns his head against the pillow with a smirk.

"I'm planning a visit to Dahngrest soon," Flynn offers.

"Yeah?" Yuri says, "Politics or pleasure?"

"Obviously there are politics involved," Flynn says, "but I would hope I can manage both?"

They talk in low voices into the night.


	2. Rita and Estelle

Rita has only had this workshop set up for about a month, but somehow it's already amazingly chaotic. There are scaffolds everywhere, books and notes piled in every corner, and _things_ piled on every other free surface. Which things precisely change every time she visits, and Estelle can't even identify half of them. She isn't sure anyone else could either—other than Rita, of course. Estelle feels silly asking about every little thing, but there's no other way to know.

"What's that?" The mass of straps and metal in the center of the room is obviously what Rita has worked on most recently.

Rita's face lights up at the question. "That is my latest experiment. You remember Levitation?"

"Of course," Estelle blushes.

Rita doesn't notice, too busy walking around to the back of the device. "Well, I think we can do that without magic, or at least without aer. And if I could mass-produce it on a wide scale, then it would make it a lot easier to get people places."

Estelle tilts around to look. "How does it work?"

Rita points at a few pipes. "Elemental propulsion," she says. "It expels plasma from the back here, and it lifts you up."

"Wow," Estelle says. The shapes of the device begin to make more sense under her eyes.

"The problem is that the level of the force is too high," Rita continues, tapping a finger against her lips. "With Levitation, the magic supports you at all points, lifting you up just enough to counter the force of gravity. This pushes with extreme force at a couple of points, so I have to make sure it's well-calibrated, and strapped on in a way that distributes the weight properly, if I don't want to dislocate any limbs."

Estelle leans back out to look at the straps and buckles.

"It's a pain," Rita sighs. "Especially doing it for myself, because I can't adjust the straps and test them at the same time."

"I could help!" Estelle offers immediately.

"Huh?" Rita turns to her, blushing, like she's forgotten that she's talking to Estelle and not just working things out aloud. That happens sometimes. "Um, if you want to. It could be a little bit awkward."

"I'd like to," Estelle says earnestly.

Rita examines the straps for a moment. "Okay. Just give me a second to get everything back in a different configuration." Estelle nods and Rita climbs up, adjusting sliders and buckles with the ease of practice. "Alright. Um, you'll probably want to take your skirt off. It'll only get in the way."

"Oh. Of course." Estelle says, and reaches to undo her dress. Rita hops down and helps, and in a moment Estelle's standing in her light undershirt and leggings. "Is this okay?"

"That's fine." Rita looks at her fondly before turning back to her work. "Alright, now climb up on that platform." She points to the lowest one of a tier.

Estelle does. She can't really sort out how the mass of straps is supposed to work any better from up close, so she stands in place and turns to Rita, who's climbing up behind her.

"Okay, yeah, stand like that, only back up a few steps," Rita says, her eyes darting around in the focused way she gets. Estelle backs up, and Rita leans in close to her and reaches around to grab some straps. Her hair brushes Estelle's face as she buckles them around her waist. Rita smells a little like smoke, as always, and Estelle breathes in deeply. After a moment of examination she tightens something, and the strap pulls snug around her. Estelle shifts forward experimentally, but she can't move anywhere while strapped to the heavy, suspended mass of metal at her back.

Rita doesn't pause, though, instead stepping to a higher platform and rising on her toes to pull more straps over Estelle's shoulders, threading them under the waist strap and buckling them across her chest. The straps rub across her breasts before settling to the side as Rita tightens the slack.

Rita still isn't done, though, and she doesn't even look up as she climbs back down. She kneels by Estelle's feet, and Estelle has to crane her neck to see what she's doing. "Hmm," Rita says, and leans around her hips to slide something up further and then refasten it with a click. Then she has shorter straps in her hand. "Widen your legs a bit," Rita says, and Estelle does.

Rita threads one loose end around the inside of her thigh and brings it around to meet another coming over her hip. The skin the strap rubs as Rita settles it into place is absurdly sensitive, and Estelle can't help a small peep.

Rita starts. "O-Okay?" Rita says after she buckles it, blushing.

"Great," Estelle says emphatically.

"I have to do the other one still," Rita leans over to the other side, and Estelle holds her breath. Rita's hand brushes her legs as she reaches through them for the other strap, and she fastens it symmetric to the other one with a bit more attention than the first. "There," she says eventually, and stands to look her work over. "How do they feel?"

Estelle leans in each direction in turn, testing the straps. "The right shoulder could be a little tighter," she offers.

Rita steps in close to adjust it, then away again. "Okay, how about that?" Estelle tests again, then nods. "Then are you ready?"

Estelle blinks. "Ready for what?"

"To see how it holds your weight," Rita says like it should be obvious.

"Oh. Right." Estelle says, her heart beating faster. "I'm ready."

"Okay," Rita says, and climbs up a platform. "Three, two, one—"

Rita pulls a lever that Estelle hadn't noticed before, and the platform falls out from under her feet abruptly. Estelle's heart jumps as she pitches forward a bit, but the straps hold her steady, a solid pressure everywhere they cross her body. She kicks her feet experimentally, but she can't reach anything to push against.

"It's good," Estelle says, which is an understatement. Her heart is racing. It's not panic, because Rita's right there. It's exhilarating.

"It would pull a lot harder if it was actually turned on," Rita demurs, looking everything over. "I'm not sure the balance is quite right."

"It's good anyway," Estelle says firmly. "I mean—I like it."

Rita gets it then. "Oh." After a moment, she lowers herself to sit on the edge of her platform, which puts her at just about the right level with Estelle, Rita's legs dangling by Estelle's hips. Then she leans in to kiss her,

Kissing Rita like this is even more thrilling than having the floor drop out from under her. Estelle can't lean in, of course, but she tilts her head up and reaches for her. Their lips press hard, and Estelle tugs at Rita's tunic, trying to get her closer.

"Waah!" Rita breaks the kiss to yelp as she slips off her seat. She tightens her thighs around Estelle's hips, grasps her shoulders solidly and clings so she doesn't fall. They swing together in the straps a bit, and Estelle notices that Rita's right—with both their weight, the straps around her thighs are edging towards painful. But that's not important compared to having Rita pressed close, supported by her as they dangle.

Estelle giggles a little and presses a kiss to the edge of Rita's mouth, where she can reach. Rita laughs too and turns her head to kiss her back. After a minute, though, Rita's legs start slipping, so she lets go and drops the couple of feet to the ground. Estelle sighs.

Rita leans in to examine where the straps around her thighs have ridden up. "Hmm. Yeah, I definitely need to shift the center clasp further up." She tugs the thigh straps back into place and Estelle gasps.

"Um. Do you think you could worry about that later?" Estelle's face heats.

Rita's eyes widen as she looks up at her. Her voice is lower. "Yeah." She unlaces the front of Estelle's leggings and gets them as open as the straps will allow, then pauses and looks around, takes in the positioning of everything. Estelle waits patiently, her breath coming short already.

"Do you think you can get your legs up?" Rita says eventually, and Estelle tries. She can't quite make it herself, but with Rita's support under her calves she manages to get her feet up and brace them wide on the edge of the upper platform.

Estelle's thighs tremble as Rita parts her labia with her hands and inhales, even though the straps across her shoulders and waist are still taking most of her weight. When Rita starts to lick with small pointed strokes of her tongue, one of Estelle's feet slips. Rita just holds it hooked over her shoulder and continues.

The fabric of Estelle's leggings is soaked damp and she's trembling all over before long. "Rita..." Estelle says, and strokes Rita's hair with a hand as she moves away with a flush and a smile.

Estelle lets her other leg down to dangle. "Let me loose now?"

"Of course," Rita says, eyes dark, and pulls herself back up to the lever. She puts the lower platform back in place efficiently, although even with solid ground back under her feet Estelle's not sure how much her legs are supporting her. She undoes all the buckles she can reach by herself, Rita does the rest, and then she goes to her.


	3. Yuri and Judith

"I'll take this one."

"Huh?" Yuri rises from his slouch and crosses the small office to look at the guild request over Judith's shoulder. "By yourself?"

Judith hands it over. "It's just an escort, but they'll pay a premium for speed. I can leave with Ba'ul first thing in the morning." She smiles. "Your boyfriend is visiting Dahngrest tomorrow, isn't he?"

Yuri affects indifference. "What, you mean Flynn?"

"And Karol finally got that girl of his to agree to a date, too," Judith continues like he hadn't said anything. "I can manage this one alone. It's been a while since I had some time to myself."

Yuri frowns slightly, but it says a lot that he doesn't argue more than that. "Fine. But the fee still goes into the guild treasury."

Judith laughs. "Of course. 'All for the guild.'"

Yuri crosses his arms and smirks at her. "That's right. No getting used to doing everything for yourself."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to do _everything_ for myself. That would get boring." Judith says with a significant look.

Yuri snorts and sets the note aside. "I'll remember that. You still feeling like enough of a people person for now?"

Judith moves close to him with a small smile. "Oh, I'm not sure. I could snap at any moment."

Yuri grins. "I'll take my chances." He loops his hands around her waist and leans in for a kiss.

Judith deepens it, running her hands from his shoulders down his arms. Just as he makes a humming appreciative noise, she grips one of his wrists and twists, breaking the kiss to slip to the side as she folds Yuri's arm behind his back.

"You're getting rusty," she says brightly, "if you didn't see that one coming."

Yuri takes a stuttering gasp before responding. "Like to keep a guy on his toes, huh."

"Do you mind?" Judith smiles.

"Not in the least," Yuri grins over his shoulder.

"Good." Judith presses him forward against the desk from behind, and grips his hair to pull him in for another kiss. They can't kiss very long or deeply with Yuri's arm and neck at such an awkward angle, but it's still a rush to see him crane to meet her lips.

Eventually she breaks away. "Making it easy for me, huh?"

"Not that easy," Yuri says, and Judith has just enough time to smirk at the warning before he moves.

Yuri drives an elbow at her side with his free arm, not so hard that she couldn't take it, but she obliges him by dodging to the side, giving him just enough space to spin out of her grip. He sweeps a leg for her knees, which he should know better than in a real fight; she allows her legs to be knocked out from under her, but immediately lands a hand on the floor and launches both her legs upward to catch Yuri in a scissor grip and bring him down with her, twisting him to keep his head away from the desk as he falls. He hits the floor somewhat less gracefully than she does.

With another twist of her hips Judith is above him, straddling, while he's still reeling from having the air knocked out of him. She pins his shoulders. Yuri's more flushed than the brief exertion should account for, and Judith grins down at him.

"Oh? Was that supposed to be hard?"

"Hard enough," Yuri says. He brings his hands up, not to push her off, but to stroke the muscle of her bared thighs.

Judith slips a hand down to palm his cock through his pants. "Hmm, I suppose so."

Yuri rolls his eyes even as they darken with want. "Wouldn't want to disappoint you."

"I appreciate it." Judith gets his pants open efficiently, and Yuri's hands slide further up to unhook her loincloth too, and drops it off to one side. Judith guides his cock with her hand as she shifts forward. The curls between her legs are already damp when she puts the head of it in place. She rubs a few times, then sinks down onto it smoothly. Yuri moans.

She rides him easily. Yuri caresses her ass and thighs as she moves. Pleasure shudders up her body, making her breasts hot and sensitive, and she brings Yuri's hands up to cup them hard and thumb at her nipples. Eventually her muscles start to quiver, and she catches his hands and pins them, leaning forward to crest her orgasm as his cock shifts to a new angle inside her. Yuri's breath catches as his shoulders press the floor, and it only takes another few seconds of rocking against him before he spills himself inside her.

Bits of Yuri's hair stick and unstick to his neck as he pants. His cock slides free as Judith shifts and stands.

"I should get cleaned up before I go," she says, and offers Yuri a hand up. He takes it, and she uses the advantage to tug him towards her into a kiss. "I'll see you in a few days."

"Don't get in too much trouble," Yuri smirks. Judith picks her clothes back up as he tucks himself back into his pants.

"We'll see," Judith says with a wave.

* * *

As soon as Judith gets back, Karol calls them together for a guild meeting. They're all in high spirits as they gather in the office.

"Flynn headed out already, then?" Judith drops her sack of gald on the desk and gives Yuri a knowing look.

"Yeah, he finished up his meetings yesterday and left first thing this morning." Yuri shrugs. "Obsessive as usual."

"Too bad," Judith says enigmatically, and turns to Karol. "So how did your date with Nan go?"

"I-It wasn't a date!" Karol scratches under one eye and avoids looking directly at her. "We just had dinner and caught up a little, since it's been so crazy lately."

"That's good too," Yuri puts in.

"W-Well, either way, none of that is the point of this meeting!"

"Alright." Yuri smiles. "You got more work for us, boss?"

"A few things, yeah." Karol nods. "Rita sent in another order, so we'll need to bring her the goods soon. And Harry asked for help with something if we have the time, too."

"Well, Union work takes priority." Yuri says. "It'll take a while for Rita's stuff to be ready, anyway, right? So she'll just have to wait."

"Right," Karol responds. "We should go get the details from Harry soon, then. Anything else?"

Yuri pauses for a moment before speaking. "Flynn's going to be in Aurnion for a week at the end of the month." He leans back against the edge of the desk. "He says it's for an inspection, but they have plenty of people to do that kind of thing. It's just the closest he can come to giving himself a break."

"Well, then, we should go join him," Judith smiles easily, "and show him how it's done. We can certainly take a real break by then, right?"

"Of course!" Karol says brightly, then looks thoughtful. "Why don't we get everyone to come? It'll be just like old times!"

Yuri laughs. "A few months ago is 'old times' now, huh?"

"It feels longer since so much has happened," Judith offers wisely, her lips quirking.

"There, see?" Karol grins. "I'm sure Rita needs to be dragged away from her work. And Estelle will want to see Flynn, too. And Raven—"

"Alright, boss, I get it." Yuri sighs dramatically. "We'll send the word."


	4. Yuri and Rita and Estelle

"You know, I thought for a while you liked Flynn," Rita announces.

Estelle looks at her oddly from the other side of the pillow, and Rita has to admit that while the comment followed logically from her train of thought she doesn't really remember what they were talking about before.

"I mean," Rita clarifies, ducking her head into Estelle's neck to avoid meeting her eyes, "it makes sense, right? The noble knight and the elegant princess. And he's Commandant now. It's very impressive." She _almost_ manages to make that last part sound sincere.

"Well, I do like him," Estelle says slowly. "I think he's very charming. Actually, Flynn and Yuri both. Don't you think?"

"No," Rita says immediately.

"Oh," Estelle says, and she sounds almost disappointed. "I, um, was always a little jealous of you and Yuri, actually."

That wasn't what Rita expected at all. "Huh? Why?"

"Well... you two understand each other really well, I think. You have the same type of personality. Even Yuri said so, right?"

"I-I guess." Rita says, and hugs Estelle closer. "I like you a lot better, though."

Estelle flushes. "I like you a lot too, Rita."

Rita feels warmer, like she does every time Estelle says that, so she huffs a bit. "Besides, I think Yuri's schedule is pretty crowded."

Estelle looks puzzled. "Brave Vesperia does have a lot to do, but not any more then the rest of us, I would think."

Rita looks up at her. "I meant that I'm pretty sure he's sleeping with Flynn every time they get a chance these days. And Judith when they don't."

"O-Oh, right." Estelle blinks. "I had guessed something like that, but you're sure?"

"No," Rita says easily. "It's just the most likely hypothesis. We can ask him when he's here, though; he should stop by for a delivery soon. Anyway, either way I'm not going to suddenly fall into bed with him or anything, so you don't need to be jealous."

"Well, I'm not jealous anymore." Estelle says quickly. "Actually, um." Then Rita has to wait a long moment before she continues. "Now I'm not sure I'd mind. Or... I might like to see it. Not that I want you to go be with Yuri or anything!" Estelle corrects quickly before Rita has gotten past her shock to think anything like that. "But I do think you would be cute together."

Rita lays in silence for a bit.

"You don't think I'm silly? Or unfaithful?" Estelle says in a small voice.

"Never!" Rita shouts immediately, too loud, then ducks her head back down. "But if you actually want to do something like that... I'd have to think about it."

"Oh!" Estelle says in surprise. "I didn't mean..." She hides her face under the edge of the sheet. "I mean, if you think we could..."

Rita's face burns. "We'll see," she says, but she's pretty sure she's decided already.

* * *

The next day, Estelle lets Yuri in, and Rita lingers in the bedroom for as long as she can after getting dressed. When she finally walks out, she can feel her face heating before Yuri even turns to see her, but she ignores it and walks over to look into the boxes he's brought, as nonchalantly as she can. "It's all here? And you're sure nothing's broken?"

"The Soul Smiths do good work, and I do know how to count," Yuri says, and she can hear the amusement in his voice. "If you don't like it, you can hire an actual courier like everyone else."

"You're a courier," Rita says, but after a moment she nods and lays the smooth metal parts back in the box again, satisfied.

"In the same way that you're a waitress," Yuri says, and she turns to see his mouth twitching upward. "Why are you wearing that?"

Rita's face gets hotter. "E-Estelle wanted me to!" She reaches up and straightens her cat ears instinctively.

"Ooh," Yuri says, really grinning now. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Estelle pouts. "Rita, don't let him misunderstand." She turns earnestly to Yuri. "Yuri, you think she's cute, right?"

"Um," Yuri says eloquently.

"See, Rita! He's blushing!"

"I see." Rita crosses her arms, very aware that she's blushing too, and probably harder.

"So what are you trying to do here, exactly?" Yuri sounds more defensive than Rita's heard him in a while.

"I... want to see if you like her," Estelle says carefully.

"I like Rita fine, Estelle. But the cat ears are a little... I don't think you want me liking her quite like that."

"But I do," Estelle responds immediately, to Yuri's visible surprise. She leans forward a bit, hands clasped. "I-I mean, only if you're really interested... but I'd like to watch."

Yuri gapes, and Rita's face burns.

"And Rita, you want to do this too?" Yuri turns to her in honest surprise.

Rita stares intently at the wall over his left shoulder. "Well, it's not like I hate you or anything. And Estelle wants it. So I can at least try, right? It'll be an experiment. Assuming you're up for it," she adds on impulse, challengingly.

Yuri blinks and is quiet for a long moment. "Well, I didn't have any other plans for the afternoon." His voice is deliberately casual even as he finally really looks Rita over, eyes panning from her skirt to the cat ears. Rita snorts. "So how did you want to do this?"

Rita turns to Estelle, and after a moment Yuri does too.

"Um," Estelle says hesitantly, "I guess you could start by kissing?"

"Sure," Yuri says, smiling.

Yuri has to bend down pretty far to kiss Rita, and his hair brushes her neck. He smells a lot different than Estelle, which Rita notices immediately even if it shouldn't exactly come as a surprise. He kisses differently, too, although he's obviously being really cautious about it. It's not bad, though, and eventually Rita gets annoyed with how gentle he's being, grabs his shirt, rises on her toes and tugs him in harder. Estelle squeaks, and Rita's heart flutters.

"Touch her, now?" Estelle says in a small voice.

Yuri settles his hands on Rita's waist, which is a really different feeling too—they're big enough to enclose most of it. Then he skims a hand down to play at the lace at the edge of her skirt, and breaks the kiss to ask, "Alright?"

"Fine," Rita says challengingly, and kisses him again, but she still jumps when his hands slide under her skirt. His hands move up her thighs gentle to the edge of her panties, and she instinctively wants to smack him, but she said he could do it and it doesn't feel bad, really. It just feels really weird to be standing here with a guy's hands up her skirt. It's not something she would ever have wanted, even before Estelle. But it's Estelle who suggested it, and when Rita breaks the kiss and glances over surreptitiously, she's watching with her mouth slightly slack and open.

Yuri straightens and bites Rita's cat ears. Rita snorts. Then he slides his hands up to her ass and she can't help her reaction anymore, so she lashes out at him with all her strength, and he stumbles back away from her and falls.

"Oh!" Estelle cries.

"Uh," Rita says, looking down at him. "Sorry." She can tell she doesn't sound very sincere, though.

Yuri laughs lightly and sits up on the floor. "Don't worry about it. I was kind of expecting that a lot sooner."

"Oh yeah?" Rita crosses her arms.

"Well, it's you, Rita. We don't have to do it like that if you don't want to." Yuri turns to look at Estelle with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh," Estelle says. "Yes, of course. That's what I like about you," she adds, blushing. "Both of you. You do what you like and don't worry about how things are supposed to go."

"So we'll do what we like," Yuri says easily, and turns back to look up at Rita.

Rita huffs. "And what's that?"

"Well," Yuri pauses. "I do like your cat ears."

"Great," Rita rolls her eyes.

"And your attitude." Yuri's lips quirk.

"Well, I like... fire." Yuri looks a little worried at that. "And Estelle." Amused. "And... your willingness to do things for people, I guess. And it's not like I hated what we were doing before! But I don't like feeling like a toy, and I don't do the ravished princess thing," she says with an apologetic look at Estelle.

"Good enough for now," Yuri says. "We can experiment, right?"

"Ha. Right." Rita leans a knee on his chest. Yuri's eyes widen and he falls back flat on the floor. Rita comes down on top of him, flushed but triumphant.

"Better?" Yuri says, settling his hands behind his head and raising his eyebrows.

"Yes." It is. Rita still feels silly, but it's like a pressure has been lifted. She's in control, and it doesn't matter that she's not sure what she's doing. She'll figure it out. It can't be _that_ hard to find something enjoyable to do.

Her lips quirk as an idea occurs to her. "Meow," she says, feeling ridiculous. Yuri laughs, but with an edge of surprise and maybe something else. Rita braces herself and pushes up into a deliberate stretch, then sits on Yuri's chest, her legs at his sides. She brings a hand up and licks the back of it deliberately.

"Getting into it, are you?" Yuri's trying to sound offhand, but his voice is half an octave lower than before.

"You are," Rita counters.

"Maybe," Yuri says, and catches her wrist. He brings her hand to his own lips and licks it, over the pads of her fingers and in between them. It feels... surprisingly nice.

When Yuri releases her hand, he leans up a bit to the bare spot of her leg, between her skirt and her stockings, and licks that too. Rita's thighs tremble.

"How about that?" Yuri asks, looking up at her. "I'll use my mouth, like this?"

Rita flushes with heat, and it can't all be embarrassment because she's running out of that. "That... works." Rita shoots a look at Estelle, but she's still watching them with wide eyes, and she just nods with a rapt expression and moves to go sit where she can get a better angle.

"Shift forward a bit, then," Yuri sets his hands on Rita's waist and guides her as she scoots forward until her knees are splayed about his head. Yuri lifts her skirt up around her hips but leaves her panties in place, and instead licks her through the fabric. Rita gasps, and Estelle makes a squeaking noise.

Her own fluids soak her panties faster than Yuri's tongue, and before long they're plastered to her skin, She can feel it when Yuri pauses to take a deep breath. But she can't quite—

"Ugh, let me—" Rita starts, then moves enough that she can get her panties off. When she shifts back into place Yuri caresses her thighs and licks between her folds eagerly, and she's so hyper-sensitive that it's almost too much.

Rita shudders, pleasure moving in waves up her spine. "Enough." She shifts back away from Yuri's mouth.

"Wow... um..." Estelle says, but doesn't finish, and when Rita looks over she's sitting in a chair with her own skirts hitched up around her waist and a hand pressed between her legs.

"Estelle," Rita says, more emphatically than she means to. "Can I help you?"

"Oh, yes," Estelle says immediately. It takes a second for Rita's trembling thighs to hold her weight well enough to stand. "That is," Estelle adds belatedly, "if you don't mind, Yuri?"

"No," Yuri says, huskily amused. "So long as you two don't mind me watching you while I finish myself off. You are both," he adds wryly, "very cute." Rita flushes.

"Oh! That's fine with me," Estelle says, putting both hands to her cheeks. "Um, Rita?"

"Sure, whatever," Rita says, and is only a little self-conscious when Yuri half-sits up and opens his pants. Her thighs brush together damply as she walks over to Estelle. She nips at Estelle's collarbone and she slips her hand into her panties, feeling a little hot knowing Yuri is watching. Estelle's already really wet, too, and she makes a mewling noise when Rita presses with her fingers.

It doesn't take long before Rita hears Yuri's breathing stutter behind her. Estelle starts with surprise, eyes wide, and then her muscles tense and and her eyes close. Rita kisses her firmly through it.

"Well," Yuri coughs eventually, and when Rita turns around he's wiping himself off with a handkerchief. "That went well."

"I'm sorry," Estelle stands, smoothing her skirts self-consciously, "That was all very selfish of me."

"No, I mean it," Yuri clarifies earnestly.

"Yeah, that was actually... good," Rita manages without looking at Yuri. "And anyway, you think about everyone else so often, you're allowed to be selfish occasionally, Estelle." Estelle beams at her and Rita warms.

"About that," Yuri stands. "You guys think you can take a break from your good works for a while? Everyone's gonna be in Aurnion at the end of the month. Flynn, too."

"Oh! I think I can, there aren't any major meetings or anything that I know of. Rita?"

"I can do my research wherever," Rita says, which isn't technically true. But she can do _some_ research wherever, and there isn't exactly a lack of it to be done. "I guess I can come."

"Good," Yuri says with a sincere grin. "I'll look forward to it."


	5. Yuri and Raven

Raven is only on his second beer when Karol, Yuri and Judith find him in the Sagittarius, but he slurs a bit anyway for dramatic effect. "Sorry, guys, I'm a little busy."

Yuri and Judith exchange glances across the table.

"Come on, too busy for us?" Karol complains.

Raven forces a laugh. "I've got a lot ta do these days! I don't have time ta go gallivantin' around with you kids."

Judith rolls her eyes. "That would be easier to believe if you were actually doing anything at the moment."

"Now, now, don't judge," Raven drawls. "A man has ta take advantage of his moments of downtime. Doesn't mean I won't still have a lot ta do in the mornin'. Although if you wanted to share some downtime with me tonight, Judith darlin', I wouldn't object."

Yuri sighs and rubs the back of his head. "Tell you what. It's getting late. Judith, you two can go on and get the others. I'll stay here for the night and give the old man a talking to."

"Sounds good to me." Judith rises. "I'll come back to pick you you tomorrow."

"Ah, wait—" Raven starts, too late; she's already out the door, tugging Karol along. "Now, what'd ya go and do that for? We could've had a fun evenin', at least."

"We could still have a fun evening," Yuri counters, and Raven chokes on his drink. Yuri just talks louder over his coughing fit. "Anyway, you can't seriously be that busy. We've been planning this for ages."

"You should know there's still a lot ta do for the Union." Raven sighs and leans back in his chair. "Harry ain't doin' too bad at steppin' up these days, but he still needs help from his elders more often than not. He's not the only one, either."

"Careful, old man, or you'll end up running the place."

It's teasing, of course, but Raven can't manage to respond lightheartedly. "Don't even say it."

"Oh, come on, you're not _that_ incompetent. I'm sure you could manage fine," Yuri says.

Raven grimaces again. "Yer confidence is flatterin', but that's not the point." He suddenly feels very tired, and he downs another gulp of his drink.

Yuri crosses his arms and stares at him for a few long moments.

"What?"

"Trying to work yourself to death now?"

"No." It sounds more flat than Raven means it to.

"Either way, you obviously need a vacation." Yuri sighs. "And it wouldn't be the same without you. Come with us."

"Ah." Raven feels warmer. "Touchin', I'm sure. But—"

"That wasn't a request," Yuri interrupts. "You're coming with us. I'll drag you away if I need to." His voice is low, his lips quirking up slightly.

Raven's mouth goes dry and works soundlessly for a moment, and eventually he moistens it with a fresh gulp of beer while trying his best to ignore the rush of feelings he doesn't want to deal with. But maybe he's had too much already, because what comes out when he opens it again is far too suggestive. "Then I'm yours. But ya sent our ride away already."

Yuri blinks. "That's because I wasn't expecting it to be that easy."

"Maybe I'm feelin' nostalgic after all."

"For being at someone else's beck and call?" Yuri says with a pointed look, and Raven winces.

"Not like you're thinkin'." It occurs to Raven only belatedly that he should have denied it completely. "I mean, no! Just nostalgic for the pleasure of yer company after all." That doesn't sound right either. "I mean, all of you kids' company."

Yuri raises an eyebrow. "What are you thinking, old man?"

Raven finally manages to shut his mouth down. "I'm not thinkin' of anythin'. I'm just an old man gettin' a little bit melancholy over his drink."

"Right." Yuri sighs. Then he looks up at him and grins. "So you're saying I should drag you off tonight after all."

Raven opens his mouth but can't come up with anything clever to say.

Something must show on his face, though, because Yuri's grin fades. "What's the matter, old man? Your witty comebacks are a little off tonight."

"It's..." Why is it so hard to brush things off when it's Yuri? "Yes."

"Yes what?"

Raven is more lightheaded from saying it than he is from the beer. "Yes, I want you to drag me off for the evening, and be at yer beck and call, in every way you're suggestin'." He's beyond the point of no return now. He hasn't laid himself this open since Heracles. "What do ya have ta say ta that?"

Yuri stares at him for a long moment. "You'd need to comb your hair first."

Raven blinks a few times. Slowly. "What?"

Yuri turns half-away and gestures vaguely. "I mean, seriously. It's a mess."

"I like my hair this way," Raven says automatically.

"And you're welcome to." Yuri smirks. "You'll comb it for once if you expect _me_ to think it's attractive, though. A change of clothes wouldn't hurt either, but I guess no clothes would work just as well."

Raven gapes.

"Deal?"

Raven can't get his head around it, but he doesn't need his head to answer that offer. "Er. Sure?"

"Alright then," Yuri says, pushing his chair back. "My place or yours?"

* * *

Raven ends up showering at Yuri's. He wraps a towel around his waist while he dries and combs his hair. He's nervous already, and seeing his own expression in the mirror with his damp hair falling straight around his face isn't comforting.

"Here, you can tie it back," Yuri says from behind him, and tosses him his hair tie. "I'll be back in a sec."

Raven pulls his hair into a low tail, which makes him feel a little better, even if the way he looks in the mirror is still weird. Yuri quickly returns with something in his hand. Raven turns to face him, feeling naked and vulnerable with his chest bare.

"Let's start with this," Yuri says with a smile, holding up a worn metal collar. Raven swallows, reminds himself to breathe, and steps forward. Yuri fastens it around his neck with a smile. It's a little too big, and it sits against his collarbone, the metal warming up quickly against his skin. Raven shivers anyway. Yuri doesn't move away. "There, that looks comfortable. More comfortable than this, anyway," he adds, running his hands lightly on the edge of the metal blastia body in Raven's chest.

Raven tenses. "That's not..." He shakes his head. "Let's not talk about that. It's completely different."

"Is it?" Yuri steps away and looks at him seriously.

"Yes," Raven says emphatically, then pauses before forcing himself to get more words out. Even if he's been thinking about this, it's hard. "This is somethin' I want ta do. Part of bein' alive."

"Just checking," Yuri says with a smile. "You're mine, but I'm not actually interested in forcing you to do anything."

There's an extremely embarrassing rush of warmth to Raven's groin at the words _you're mine_. "There's that difference, too. Ya actually care about me."

"There is that," Yuri's voice is wry, but his smile is sincere enough that Raven relaxes. "Come on, then," Yuri says, and hooks his fingers under the collar and tugs.

Raven moves with him instinctively. "What—"

Yuri leans in and kisses him without releasing the collar, his tongue invading his mouth without pausing. Raven's cock jumps, and it takes a moment before he remembers to respond. He's out of practice, and it's strange kissing someone who's taller than him. He brings a hand up to Yuri's chest hesitantly.

After that Yuri breaks away. His pupils are wide and dark, and Raven just stares at him with his jaw slack.

"So have you actually done anything with a man before? I know you're usually all about the ladies." Yuri's voice is light, and he rolls his eyes a bit as he says it.

"Not really. I mean—no," Raven rubs at the back of his head. "I know the mechanics n'all, and I've thought about it a little—" because of you, he doesn't say, "—but, uh..."

"Well, now you're going to do more," Yuri says confidently, and Raven's pulse races.

"Just tell me what to do," he says.

"Hmm," Yuri says with a small smile as he steps back and looks Raven over, pulling off his own belt. "How about you lose that towel, for a start?"

Raven swallows hard and unwraps the towel from his waist and drapes it over a chair. It's not like Yuri hasn't seen him naked before, of course, but that was nothing like this, where he's obviously on display and his cock is half-hard already as Yuri looks him over.

"Not bad, old man," Yuri shrugs out of his shirt. "You know, if you wore something a little bit more flattering you could be pretty good looking."

"I know," Raven says, and doesn't elaborate.

Yuri sighs. "Well, whatever you like." He skins out of his pants, and Raven looks away instinctively before remembering what he's doing and forcing himself to look.

Yuri's cock is slender and long, and the hair around it is fine, dark, and soft-looking. Raven tries to monitor his reaction, but there isn't much. It's not unappealing, though.

Yuri notices him looking and puts his hand around it and strokes it once, moving towards Raven again. "Let's start here, then." He hooks his other hand in Raven's collar again and tugs down lightly. It takes Raven a second to realize what he's going for and then he drops to his knees on the carpet, his face close to Yuri's cock, breath coming short.

"This isn't terribly difficult, and you're a quick learner," Yuri grins. "Keep your lips covering your teeth, and just take it slow."

Raven nods, and leans forward to seal his mouth around the head of Yuri's cock. Yuri keeps his hand around the base, holding it in place as Raven takes more of it in. It tastes just slightly musky on his tongue, and it doesn't take much at all before it feels like his mouth is full.

"You can take more of it," Yuri urges in a low voice that makes Raven want to squirm. "Just breathe and keep going."

Raven makes an affirmative noise in his throat, then takes a deep breath through his nostrils and moves in more, until his lips are touching Yuri's knuckles and he can curve his tongue easily against soft flesh. His collar shifts heavily.

Yuri groans. "There you go."

Probably that accomplishment shouldn't make Raven feel so good. It does anyway. He keeps moving, and after a while he reaches for his own cock.

"Did I say you could do that?" Yuri thrusts forward a bit. Raven's throat tightens but he doesn't quite choke, and his cock twitches in his hand. "Calm down. I have other plans." Raven reluctantly lets go.

It's only barely enough time for Raven to relax back into what he's doing before Yuri says, "Now, how about I fuck you?" and heat shoots like lightning down Raven's body. His moan starts before Yuri pulls out of his mouth, and he doesn't quite manage to turn it into anything more coherent.

"Yeah? Then hands and knees on the bed," Yuri purrs at him, and Raven stumbles to his feet.

Standing makes him notice that his knees are sore in a way that he somehow hadn't with Yuri's cock in his mouth. The bed is soft, though, and his cock and balls hang heavily as he settles into place and takes deep breaths.

Yuri stops by a drawer and then comes to join him, stroking up his spine and pulling gently on the collar so Raven's back arches. He leans down to whisper in Raven's ear, "All mine."

Raven's not sure he's ever been more turned on in his life, but somehow he only gets even more so when Yuri strokes at the crack of his ass with damp fingers. "Ah—!"

Yuri fingers him efficiently, and Raven's head spins. He can't help but gasp when he pulls out and he feels the press of something larger.

"You're going to like this," Yuri says, and Raven doesn't think he could do otherwise if he tried. He feels Yuri push deep into him, the press and stretch going on longer than seems like should be possible, until his balls hit Raven's ass and his hair brushes his back. It aches, but in a good way.

"Can I—" Raven manages.

"Go ahead." The words are barely out of Yuri's mouth before Raven has shifted his weight to one arm so he can jerk himself off.

The collar shifts and thumps against his collarbone with the rhythm as Yuri thrusts, a constant reminder that it's there, and Raven pulls at his cock in time too. It seems like an embarrassingly short time before he's about to come.

"Yuri..."

Yuri laughs breathlessly. "Yeah, alright."

It probably wasn't meant to be granting permission, but that's what Raven's body takes it as, and he catches most of his come in his hand as his muscles clench.

Yuri thrusts in a few more times. Raven's ass is tender and sore, but it still doesn't make him want to stop, and Yuri comes himself before too long.

Raven slumps against the headboard and winces as Yuri pulls out. He turns to sit, gently, as Yuri brings over handkerchiefs to clean them both up a bit. "Good?"

"Yeah," Raven says easily. Then, "Should I take this off now?"

Yuri's eyebrows raise. "Would you prefer to keep it?"

It takes shockingly little self-examination to answer that question. "Yeah." And not much more to realize: "But I shouldn't."

Yuri nods. "Go on, then," and Raven undoes the buckle and lets the collar fall free. "We'll just have to do this again sometime."

The high is fading now with that hit of reality. "Don't ya have better things ta do with yer time?" _Better people to do with your time?_, Raven doesn't say.

Yuri shrugs. "It's not a contest. I think can make time for you, old man. So, are you staying the night?"

Raven blinks. "Um, sure."

"Lay down, then. And don't oversleep, Judith will be back to pick us first thing in the morning."

Raven finds a comfortable smile spreading across his face again, and a warm feeling in his chest. "Alright."


	6. Yuri and Judith and Flynn

They do manage to leave early, and they make it to Aurnion by midmorning. As soon as they get there, though, Raven fusses about not having had time to fix his hair and disappears off to his room in the inn.

"I think the kids are all still asleep anyway," Judith offers.

"Alright," Yuri kneels down to pet Repede. "I'll get him again later."

"Yuri." Flynn is approaching from the Knight headquarters, already dressed in all his regalia. He sounds fond but puzzled. "What are you all doing here?"

"You didn't even mention we were coming?" Judith asks, amused.

"We're taking a guild vacation," Yuri is nonchalant. "You may have heard of vacations? Do you have those in the Knights?"

"Very funny," Flynn says, but he can't hide his smile. "Well, I'm free at the moment, so as long as you're here, how about a match? Outside town, like before?"

"Don't waste any time, do you? Maybe later," Yuri says, and Flynn can't hide his disappointment, either. "Hey, don't pout just because I don't work myself to death like you! I'll be here all week. And I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Really." Flynn must still have a dirtier mind than he lets on, because he turns immediately to Judith.

"Don't look at me, I slept fine," she says innocently, and raises her eyebrows at Yuri herself.

"I'll tell you both about it later." Yuri's lips quirk. "For now, I've got an idea. How about you two fight?"

"Oh?" Judith sizes Flynn up with a glance. "That could be interesting."

Flynn blushes. "I'm not sure..."

"Not sure you can beat her?" Yuri grins. "I'm not sure either. I'll come watch," he adds, more and more convinced this is the best idea he's had lately.

"Fine," Flynn raises his eyebrows. "I'll fight your girlfriend if you want me to that badly."

"You better take me seriously, now." Judith smiles, deceptively friendly. "I won't go easy on you."

"I wouldn't dream of showing you anything less than my full strength," Flynn says, but Yuri can tell she hit a nerve. Flynn never could back down from a challenge.

"Alright! Let's go then," Yuri grins widely. "You're both well equipped?" Both Flynn and Judith give him the same look. "Of course you are."

* * *

Yuri leans against a rock at the edge of the clearing and checks his supply of gels as Flynn and Judy face off. If either of them are going to be up for anything after this, they'll probably need them.

"Are you sure you'll be alright without armor?" Flynn calls over to her. Yuri snorts privately.

"I'll manage somehow." Judith hefts her heavy spear with a smile.

"Alright," Yuri yells. "Ready, fight!"

Judith dashes first, and Flynn shifts his stance forward, bringing his sword low. He has to move again when Judith gets close, dropping a leg back to have enough leverage to block the broad swing of her spear with his shield.

Yuri smirks, and wonders how long it'll take Flynn to break out of his cautious and steady moves. Probably not long, 'cause Judy's not going to let him get away with it. She swings her spear away, then spins and comes in from another angle before he can come in for a counterattack. They run through that a few times, Flynn flawlessly blocking each of her attacks until he makes the mistake of catching her spear low with her sword. Without missing a beat, Judith steps on the shaft, her weight forcing both their weapons down, then strikes her other leg up inside Flynn's guard, catching him under the chin with her knee before the shocked expression has even left his face. Yuri winces in sympathy as his head snaps back.

Rather than pressing the advantage, Judith backflips easily back out of Flynn's range. When Flynn recovers, Yuri can see the blood welling from his lip from where he sits, and Judy's got that _look_ on her face, he one she gets when their enemies are about to be very sorry or she's about to pin him to something. Only now it's directed at Flynn, and that's possibly one of the hottest things he's ever seen.

For Flynn's part, he's ignoring the laceration on his mouth and sizing Judith up for real. Yuri can see him taking in how her boots are nearly as much a weapon as her spear, how she's obviously built for fighting like that, both her legs and arms visibly muscled. The lack of armor is a disadvantage, of course, but also an advantage in that she can move pretty much however she likes.

Judith swings her spear back to the ready. "Giving up already?"

"Not a chance," Flynn returns immediately.

"That's more like it." Judith crouches low to move in for another attack, but Flynn moves before she can, coming forward with a powerful thrust. Yuri grins. Judith's not really equipped to parry, so she brings her spear up and leaps back out of the way. Flynn keeps driving forward with broad sweeping strokes, and Judith dodges and deflects until Flynn finally draws back. Judith swings her spear forward, and it clatters against Flynn's shield once before he's on the attack again with quick jabbing strikes. One of them catches Judith's arm before she can retreat.

It's a good hit, a clean slice on her bicep, but not enough to keep her from fighting. Not when it's Judy.

It's a fight of attrition after that, as they both get used to each other, and the hits exchanged are all glancing, attacks of opportunity. The next time they pause, panting and staring at each other from opposite sides of the field, Yuri decides he can't take it anymore.

"You know, I'm not sure you guys are very well matched. Why don't we call it a draw?"

They both turn like they've forgotten he's there. Nice.

"...Or at least take a break," Yuri offers, and holds up two lemon gels.

Flynn looks a little annoyed. "I'm not giving up."

Judith gets it, though. "A break, hmm? Feeling a little left out?"

"Maybe. Here," Yuri puts a lemon gel in his mouth but doesn't bite it, just holds it between his lips.

Judith looks over at Flynn. "Still not giving up?"

"Yuri does make it more appealing," Flynn says wryly, but still doesn't make a move.

"Fine, then I concede," Judith says, and crosses the space to Yuri quickly and takes the lemon gel from his mouth with her tongue. Yuri sees Flynn watch, shocked, from over her shoulder. Yuri grins against Judith's lips as her hand slips into his, too, and he lets her take the second gel from him.

She pulls away, her wounds mostly healed, and Yuri attempts to make an affronted face as she turns to present the stolen gel to Flynn.

"Oh my, it looks like I've got yours, too," she says with mock surprise. "I guess you'll have to take it from me," she smiles, and puts the gel between her lips just as Yuri had.

Yuri snorts in disbelief, but Flynn's eyes narrow and he walks over. "Fine," he says from a few feet away, and drops his weapons. Yuri gapes as he moves in to kiss her. Flynn must have loosened up from the flight even more than Yuri thought, although he still keeps a gauntleted hand on her waist like a gentleman.

Judith has no such qualms, and once Flynn has chewed and swallowed the gel, his wounds melting away, she tugs him close and licks the remnants of blood from his lip, then presses her tongue in his mouth for a deep kiss, passionate enough to make Yuri's pants a little uncomfortable just watching.

"Hey," Yuri says eventually, when they show no signs of stopping.

Flynn breaks away, flushed. "I thought you were too tired?" The challenge sounds only slightly nervous.

"Not fair. You know that's not what I meant," Yuri says, but the swelling of feeling in his chest means he can't really stop grinning.

"Maybe you should be more clear next time." Flynn's grinning, too, back to his normal bantering tone.

"Maybe you should wear less armor next time," Judith runs her hands over Flynn's chest. "Not that this isn't fun, but it isn't quite the same."

"I'm not going to take my armor off in the middle of the wilderness!" Flynn says incredulously.

"It's not the _middle_ of the wilderness," Judith smiles. "We're still close to town. More like the edge."

Flynn shakes his head. "You're a bad influence, Yuri."

"What, you think _I_ influenced _her_?" Yuri looks at Flynn incredulously.

Judith laughs, and Flynn just sighs.

"Later, then. In town." Yuri tries, with a friendly tug at Flynn's cape.

Flynn flushes. "I... suppose that sounds good."

Judith and Yuri trade grins. Yuri's feels like it might split his face open.

* * *

By the time they get back to town, though, the others are awake and milling around the central monument, and a young Knight comes running up to Flynn with an urgent look, so they wordlessly postpone their plans for later. Flynn walks away still smiling, though.

"That went well." Judith has a matching smile.

"Yeah," Yuri says, and yawns. "And the week's still young. We've got plenty of time to get Flynn out of his armor for you."

"And plenty of time to explain what happened with Raven?" Judith asks lightly.

Yuri looks at her in surprise.

"I'm a good guesser. So he finally unwound a bit?"

"I'm not sure I'd say that," Yuri sighs. "But it's something, at least."

Judith hums knowingly. "Well, you're right, there's plenty of time. Let's catch up with the others."


	7. Rita and Raven

Judith has a devious smile on her face when she comes up to talk to Rita, which should probably worry Rita more than it does, but for some reason she's happy to see her.

It also doesn't hurt that Judith sits beside her starts the conversation with, "So how are you and Estelle doing?" Rita still gets giddily happy every time she thinks about Estelle.

"We're... good," Rita says, blushing, and quickly tries to change the subject. "How about, um, you and Yuri? I saw you were both out talking to Flynn."

"Oh, we're _very_ good," Judith says suggestively, and Rita's blush deepens. "We weren't just talking, though. We were fighting."

"Is that right," Rita says neutrally. "That's good?"

"I thought you of all people would understand," Judith says with a fake pout. "You like hurting people too, right?"

"I won't hurt Estelle." Rita says immediately and emphatically.

"Oh. I'm sure there are other options, though. Yuri likes getting hurt," Judith offers, a little too knowingly.

Rita blushes harder. "It's not really like getting hurt while fighting, though. I'd want to use my magic. I don't think it's exactly his thing."

"Really?" Judith says with interest.

Rita's face is burning hot. She ducks. "Anyway, it's not that important!"

"No, no, I'm sure we can figure something out." Judith considers for another few seconds. "How about Raven?"

Rita sputters for a few seconds. "What, you think the old man gets off on stuff like that?"

"You could always see," Judith says with a smile.

"Why would I _want_ to?" she snaps back immediately.

"It's up to you, of course." Judith walks away still smiling.

* * *

The problem is that now the idea has been put in her head, Rita keeps thinking about it. Even if it's a stupid idea, there's _something_ there. At the very least, the old man's always been good at taking abuse. So the next day, she corners him up on a ridge overlooking the city.

"Hey, old man. Do you actually like it when I hit you?"

Raven starts in surprise. "Huh? Where'd that come from?" He leers. "If I said yes, would you do it more or less?"

Rita snorts and ignores that. "You definitely like the heat, right?"

Raven drops the leer and sighs, rubbing the back of his head. "What are ya gettin' at, Rita dear?"

Rita opens her mouth a few times before she manages to get the question out. "Can I test my fire on you? In a controlled way, I mean. I wouldn't burn you much."

"That 'much' isn't very reassurin', darlin'." Raven laughs, but it sounds forced.

Rita must be getting a little better at reading people, because it's obvious that he's avoiding answering the question. She crosses her arms. "Is that a no?"

"No," Raven says immediately, and Rita's stomach drops. Then he visibly panics and clarifies as quickly as he can. "I mean, no it's not a no! Whatever ya want ta do, I'm here for ya!" He blanches again after that last sentence but falls quiet and doesn't backpedal again.

"O-Okay," Rita says after a moment. She's still not sure about this, but the first step should be deciding exactly what she _does_ want to do. "I'll come by your room later, then. A-And if you make a big deal out of it, I'll..." But what can she threaten him with? "...You'll regret it," she finishes lamely. It doesn't seem to particularly matter, anyway, because Raven still looks too off-balance to tease her before she walks away.

* * *

Raven opens the door almost as soon as she knocks.

"Take off your shirt and sit on the chair," Rita directs as she walks in and shuts the door behind her.

"Get right ta the point, don't ya?" Raven rolls his eyes but moves to comply.

Rita doesn't look while he strips of the top layer of his clothes, just turns back when he's seated as she instructed. "Now, I want to blindfold you and tie your arms so you don't move. It... could be dangerous otherwise. More dangerous," she adds automatically. Somehow she can't really let her justification get in the way of the truth.

"Wow, Rita, I didn't think you'd get into that kind of thing so quickly," Raven teases, and the drawl in his voice makes her want to punch him in the face and leave, except that while he does it he closes his eyes and crosses his hands behind his back. So instead after a moment she steps forward and ties a ribbon across his eyes and knots her belt around his wrists.

That makes her feel a lot better already, and she can't help a touch to the cold metal of the blastia body still embedded in his chest. "Make any more comments and I'll just leave you like that," she says forbodingly. He could _probably_ manage to get himself loose if he tried, anyway.

Raven shivers at the touch, even though he must not be able to really feel it. "Whatever you say." His smile somehow looks a lot more sincere with a blindfold across his eyes.

Rita is mollified. "Alright. I'm going to use spiritual fire on your chest and arms. Tell me how it feels."

Raven takes a visible breath. "Sure thing, darlin'."

Summoning fire powered by the spirits still feels a lot different from what she's used to—the power is a steady flow, enough that it can be amazingly strong, but it takes a lot more guidance and control, and it's much harder to trigger a sudden burst effect than it had been with aer and her bodhi blastia.

But she's a genius at this sort of thing, after all. She starts slow, with a flicker of fire that curves between her palms, then spreads it, lets it dance across Raven's shoulders and down his chest, not close enough to scorch, and constantly flowing.

"How does that feel?" Rita prompts after a few moments of silence.

"Warm," Raven says immediately. "Ah... really good, actually." The huskiness in his voice makes Rita blush, which fortunately Raven can't see. It also makes her lose her concentration. "Ow!"

"Sorry," Rita says instinctively, and pulls her hand away. Raven's skin is slightly reddened where she let the fire linger too long.

"No!" Raven yelps. "I mean, er... That kinda hurt, yeah, but it's fine. You can keep doing it."

"Hmph." Rita tries to sound disinterested, but her face feels like it's burning as hot as the fire. "I didn't mean to, though." She grins. "If—When I hurt you, it should be deliberate."

Raven's breath catches. "I wouldn't expect any less."

Rita's grateful that he can't see the surprise on her face, either. She doesn't really mind hurting the old man—he deserves it and more—but it's... weird to have him just take it. "Tell me if you want me to stop." She half-expects him to change his mind and call it off right there.

But Raven just nods. "I'll tell ya."

She summons the fire again and directs it back along its path. Raven relaxes into it after a while, even though she can see that it's heating him enough to make a visible flush rise on his dark skin.

When the fire loops down over his right collarbone she decides it's time. She focuses, and the leading edge of the flame brightens suddenly and dips closer to his skin and scalds a quick line a few inches long before she returns it to normal.

"Ah!" Raven gasps.

She redirects the fire slightly so she can see the red mark rise. Not too bad, but without a gel it'd probably take a few days to heal. "How did that feel?"

"It hurt," Raven says. Rita lets the fire go for a second to knock him upside the head. "Ow!"

"Be more descriptive."

"Fine, fine. It... I wasn't expectin' it, so it was surprisin'. I couldn't really tell exactly where it was burnin', so it was just a rush of pain and heat. Now it feels like my whole chest is throbbin', though."

"Burns will do that," Rita says unsympathetically.

"Yeah," Raven says, and Rita waits for him to follow it up with a request to stop, but he doesn't.

So she lashes out with a lick of hot fire again, scorching a line at an angle to the last one.

"Ow! Dammit, Rita, what was that for?" Raven says weakly.

"I wanted to. Besides, you said your whole chest was hurting, so I wanted to see if that changed it. Did it?"

Raven pauses. "I guess. I mean, I could feel where it was centered before, but now it's stretched out some, sorta..." his muscles flex and his hands pull at the belt slightly, like he's instinctively moving to gesture. "—Ah." His lips twist. "Sorta to the right? And the lower part feels rawer."

"Good." Rita says. She summons the fire again, spreads it lightly. She watches his breathing carefully, and intensifies it again after he exhales, and this time he makes a choked noise that makes Rita feel hot, too.

He doesn't speak, and this time Rita doesn't prompt him, just curls the fire around again. A few more iterations and Rita closes off a hexagon on the right side of his chest, like she's starting to sketch a basic formula crest. It would still take a lot more detail and concentration for that, but the lines stand out red against his skin. She lets the fire around one hand dissipate and touches her fingers to the bare skin in the center.

Raven exhales sharply, and Rita makes the mistake of glancing down and seeing the bulge in his pants. Maybe he's just imagining her naked or something, but it seems more likely that he's actually enjoying this. For some reason that's not completely gross. Rita banishes the last of the fire before she can lose control again.

"Rita?"

It's more than she wants to deal with. "We're done here." But she can't help adding—"For now." She unties his hands, focusing very hard on what she's doing. Then she retreats a few steps away.

"Ya can do me any time, Rita darlin'," Raven says in a low voice as he pulls the blindfold from his eyes.

"Augh!" Rita growls, and instinctively calls for a different power. "_Splash_." The water that pours from above Raven's head isn't very impressive as spells go, but it's more than enough to drench him and make him flinch back.

"Hey!" Raven sputters, but then he just looks at her, like... like he's serious. And he's drenched and shirtless and still flushed and hurt from the fire, and he doesn't look bad like that, even if the water's soaking into his pants and making the outline of his cock even more obvious. Rita still feels pretty good about it.

She ducks her head. "I'll—I'll see you tonight! You should use a gel for those burns." She leaves, closing the door behind her as quickly as she can.

She tries not to think too hard about the fact that Raven was going for his belt buckle rather than a gel as the door closed. Instead she returns to her room across the way.

Estelle's not back yet, which is probably good. Rita will really need to talk to her later, but for now she leans back against the door, bites her lip and tries to keep from grinning.


	8. Epilogue

That evening they all gather around a bonfire on the edge of town. Rita lights it, of course. There's a brief debate over who gets to cook before majority rule puts Yuri on the job, and soon they're all eating, chatting and grinning.

As it gets dark they spread out and talk in smaller groups. Repede curls up by the fire to nap, but he occasionally opens an eye to check on everyone. Estelle catches up with Flynn, beaming at him as he describes the recent reorganization of the Knights. Raven flirts with Judith shamelessly, and she looks more amused by it than usual considering that he hasn't come up with any new material. Periodically he plucks his shirt away from his chest like he's hot.

Rita catches this and blushes, for some reason. She tugs Estelle away from Flynn with a muttered word and they sit close together on a log on the edge of the clearing and continue their conversation in low voices.

"I'm glad you all came," Flynn says, walking over to stand beside Yuri, looking over the group.

"Me too." Yuri says.

Raven catches that and turns to announce loudly, "The night's still young! We could come again."

"Ugh!" Rita growls from across the way, and tosses a tiny fireball at Raven. "Don't _say_ things like that!" The fireball explodes in his face and Raven flails, cheeks reddened.

Judith laughs. Yuri shakes his head and smiles. "Well, we could," he says aside to Flynn, who's flushing.

"This is nice," Flynn says, which doesn't actually express an opinion either way, but Yuri has to agree.


End file.
